CHAPTER 452: CHAPTER 452: PREPARATIONS (PART 2)

Jiang Shaohua stayed at the riding field for three days.

During these three days, Ma Changqing and Mani were always at her side.

Ma Changqing had been in Da Liang for over a decade and already regarded himself as a Da Liang person. Speaking about the terrain and customs of Rouran posed no psychological burden for him, and he was quite forthcoming. However, having left Rouran for many years, he was unfamiliar with the current Rouran military strength.

Mani was the opposite; he himself was a valiant Rouran cavalryman, well-versed in the Rouran cavalry’s maneuvers and battle strategies. However, when Jiang Shaohua probed further, Mani was reluctant to divulge details. Furthermore, Mani spoke Rouran with a heavy alien accent. Ma Yaosong could understand only seventy to eighty percent. Fortunately, Ma Changqing could translate them one by one.

Jiang Shaohua noted Mani’s rebelliousness but remained expressionless until she was about to leave the riding field, and then instructed Ma Yaosong, "Apart from Mani, there should be other Rouran people who fought on horseback; find them all, as I want to take them all with me."

No matter how strange the order from the Commandery Princess, Ma Yaosong accepted it without a change in expression.

A flicker of a strange color passed through Mani’s eyes as he quickly looked up. He met Jiang Shaohua’s cold and probing gaze.

The beautiful young girl before him was the noble Nanyang County Princess, accompanied by numerous trusted aides, among whom were not lacking in experts. The two young aides had sharp eyes, but more formidable was the middle-aged man in his forties. Even when his right arm was intact, he was at most on par with them.

It’s a pity there was no opportunity to make a move. Otherwise, he might suddenly rise, seize the princess, and leave this cursed riding field to return to his grasslands...

"Mani, you can understand what I, the Commandery Princess, am saying." Jiang Shaohua’s voice suddenly sounded.

Mani’s pupils abruptly contracted, and his left hand instinctively clenched into a fist.

Jiang Shaohua glanced over, calmly saying, "You’ve been in the riding field for over a year. Even if you refuse to learn Da Liang language, it shouldn’t be that you don’t understand a word. You’ve been pretending not to understand, trying to lull people around into dropping their guard, seeking a chance to escape, am I right?"

Mani remained silent, clenching his left fist tighter, bending his left leg slightly, and tensing his right leg. This was a stance ready to pounce at any moment.

Ma Changqing angrily drew his whip, ready to teach this horse slave a lesson.

Jiang Shaohua calmly ordered, "Step aside."

Ma Changqing hesitated briefly, but considering the Commandery Princess was not without her entourage of numerous trusted aides, he put down the whip and withdrew respectfully.

Song Yuan spoke coldly, "Commandery Princess, this Mani is no good fellow. Allow me to teach him a lesson."

"No need, I, the Commandery Princess, will handle it personally." Jiang Shaohua tugged at the corner of her lips.

Song Yuan, knowing well the Commandery Princess’s prowess, silently stepped back several steps. Qin Hu, Meng Sanbao, and the other aides also retreated.

Mani could indeed understand some Da Liang language. Even if he didn’t understand, he grasped the situation by observing. A wave of ferocity surged in his heart.

This little girl, ignorant of the sky’s height and the earth’s depth. Does she think that just because my right arm is broken, I’m worthless?

Today, he would open her eyes, let her see what a real Rouran warrior was. Even if he died afterward, it wouldn’t matter. In his current state, living or dying made no difference.

Mani’s eyes flashed with aggression as he pushed off strongly with his left leg while his right leg borrowed the force to launch forward. Like a swift wind over the grassland, or a ferocious, hungry wolf. He swung his iron-like left fist down with all his might. He imagined the pitiable scene of the little girl’s face being shattered and felt an almost cruel pleasure rise within.

But the anticipated scene never occurred.

His left fist was intercepted mid-air. The slender white fist aligned perfectly with his own. An indescribable force, against which it was impossible to resist, surged forth.

The fist throbbed with pain, and his arm felt as if it was broken. His entire body, which had been moving forward with full force, instantaneously reversed to retreat, flying backward through the air and landing heavily on the grass.

Pfft!

Mani spat a mouthful of fresh blood, and the world spun around him.

Ma Changqing’s eyes widened with shock, looking at the impassive Commandery Princess, then at the Rouran warrior Mani, who had spat blood and whose life was uncertain.

What... what on earth is going on here?

"The Commandery Princess’s Divine Power is becoming more astonishing," Qin Hu whispered to Meng Sanbao, "This Mani, with good strength and speed, still couldn’t withstand a single punch from the Commandery Princess."

Meng Sanbao felt the same way: "Indeed, the Commandery Princess is getting more formidable. We, the trusted aides, are just for display."

Jiang Shaohua walked unhurriedly to Mani’s side, coldly saying, "Get up! Fight again!"

These simple few words, Mani did understand. The last pride of a Rouran warrior supported him to struggle and rise from the ground. His left hand trembled uncontrollably, and both legs were shaking. Nonetheless, he managed to stand up, letting out a wolf-like howl, and charged once more.

Jiang Shaohua’s hands flashed like lightning and sent Mani flying again.

Mani crashed heavily onto the ground once more.

"Come again!"

The melodious voice of the young girl now seemed like the Reaper’s summons.

Mani’s face was deathly pale, yet he braced himself with the last thread of strength and pride, and stood up once more.

...

Half a day later, Ma Yaosong arrived with seven horse slaves. Then, he was astonished by the scene before him.

Mani’s face was ashen, his chest covered in blood, lying on the ground with life or death uncertain.

"Commandery Princess!" Ma Yaosong’s expression changed abruptly, stepping forward with large strides, "Mani dared to attack the Commandery Princess; I will execute him immediately."

Jiang Shaohua, however, said, "I allowed him to make a move. Spare his life; I have other plans for him." Then, her gaze swept over the horse slaves: "Are these all the Rouran horse slaves in the riding field?"

Ma Yaosong steadied himself and replied in a low voice: "Among the nomadic people outside the border, Rouran is the most powerful and the most brutal. When our Ma Family buys fine horses yearly, they usually trade with the Gaoche Clan or the Kuomoxi Clan, rarely with Rouran. The horse slaves in the riding field, there are the fewest Rouran people. Excluding the women, children, and the elderly, all able-bodied men are here."

As long as they are Rouran men, they can ride and shoot arrows, and can be considered Rouran cavalry.

However, having fallen to the point of being sold as horse slaves, most are defeated captives. Some have lost their left eye, some have had their ears cut off, and others like Mani have had an arm severed. The most miserable one had half his face flayed and looked utterly horrifying.

Jiang Shaohua said, "I, the Commandery Princess, will take all eight of them. Inform your grandfather of this matter."

Ma Yaosong immediately said, "Such a trivial matter, there’s no need to inform grandfather; I can make this decision." He paused and then added in a low voice, "The Commandery Princess should take Ma Changqing too! He is utterly loyal to the Ma Family and familiar with these horse slaves’ temperaments. With him, the horse slaves will behave."

Jiang Shaohua tugged at the corners of her lips: "No need, what I, the Commandery Princess, want is for them to remain unbridled!"